Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-12-09
The Agricultural Department.

OF Agriculture recommends substantially
the abolition Of the seed division of the de-
partment and the transfer of its duties to the
State and territorial experiment stations.
The directors of these institutions, he says,
ought to know what kind of seed the farm
ers Of their respective neighborhoods are
interested in, and what kinds are best adapt
ed to each locality. The Commissioner dis
cusses the scope and functions of the depart.
ment in way which leaves room for the
plain inference that he disapproves the eff
forts to make 1t an executive department,
with member of the cabinet at its head.
The Commissioner says it is yet too early to
make an official statement of the results in
detail OF the present years experiments in
the development of sorghum sugar manu-.
iacture; "but," he adds, "enough is known
already, think to enable this country to
anticipate at an early day the production of
sugar supply from plant as easy Of cul-
tivation as corn, but little circumscrbed by
climatic influences, and one whose by-pro.
ducts have value equal to the cost OF rails
ing" Upon the subject of our wheat sur
plus, he says: "The comparative promi-
nence OF this ccuntry in its wheat surplus
may not be popularity realized. When our
exports have exceeded 136,0O0,0O bushels
per annum for ten years, those of Russia
were about 66,000,000 bushels and those of
India "a 100000 bushels in round numbers
for the last decade. Other lands contribute
only very small surplus-Australia, Chilli,
the Argentine Republic and Others only
few millions each--and the combined sur.
plus OF all nations does not equal that of
this country"
The work of the bureau of animal indus
try, the report says has been greatly ex-
tended ring the past year. The Govern.
ors oil tnirty States and Territories have
accepted the rules and regulations of the
bureau and promised assistance of local DO.
lice officers To secure their enforcement. In
addition the Legislatures of Rhode Island.
Virginia, New York and Illinois have en-
acted laws providing for co operation. The
work of the bureau has thus been carried
on in all the States where pleuro .pneumon-
Ia has been known to exist except Pennsyl-
vania, whose authorities found but few in
tected herds, and reported that these were
promptly disposed OF according to the State
law. The worst injected counties" the re.
port says, "and those from which there was
most danger of the spread of the disease,
viz: Cook county, in Illinois; Westminster,
New York; Richmond Kings, Queens and
Suffolk, in New York, and Baltimore, How.
ard, Carroll and Prince George's, in Mary
land, have been placed in quarantine, and
no cattle allowed to leave them without
permit issued after special examination.
BY this means new outbreaks have been al.
most entirely prevented. Before these reg
ulations were made the c0ntagion was car.
ried to the counties of Washington and Del
aware, in the State If New York, and quite
widely disseminated 1t was stamped out
however, without any serious interference
with the trade and commerce of these sec.
tons 1t was also carried into several coun.
ties of New Jersey, but in the most of these
cases it has been extirpated. From the be-
ginning of the work for the eradication of
this disease, in August, 1886, to October,
1887, the inspectors Of this bureau have
carefully inspected 1887 herds, containing
III ,4S0 animals, in districts where the plague
was supposed to exist. Among these there
were found 1893 infected herds, containing
1896 animals, of which 1926 were affected
with pleuro pneumonia. These figures do
not include 1878 head of cattle in the distil-
lery stables of Chicago, nearly half of which
were diseased. The restrictions placed upon
the movement of cattle from Illinois by the
authorities of other States and Territories
are now being removed, and within a short
time this interstate traffic will again be car.
riecl on with entire freedom "There has
not been time in years" the Commissioner
writes, WHOM this miaty has been con
fined TO such restricted areas ~ at present
aud consequently the conditions are very
favorable ior its complete eradication. Ii
the State authorities continue their ca OPP.
Grafton as at present, which there is every
reason To expect, and il an appropriation is
made by Congress equal To that OF the pres
ent fiscal year, AMI with authority for its
similar use it Is believed that this dangerous
plague can be exterminated by the end of
the next fiscal year"
The Bohemian oats Sw indle-A dis
patch from ST. Louis, dated the 9Th instant,
gives the following:
"'rhe Suuth Wpstprn Grain and Seod On